The production of linear alternating polymers of carbon monoxide and at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon is well known in the art. Such polymers, also known as polyketones or polyketone polymers, are of the repeating formula ##STR1## wherein A represents a moiety derived from at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon polymerized through the ethylene unsaturation thereof. The scope of the process of producing the polyketone polymers is extensive but, without wishing to be limited, a preferred method of polymerization comprises contacting the carbon monoxide and hydrocarbon monomers under polymerization conditions in the presence of a catalyst composition formed from a compound of palladium, an anion of a strong non-hydrohalogenic acid and a bidentate ligand of phosphorus, nitrogen or sulfur. In the embodiment where the process is conducted in a liquid phase in the presence of a liquid reaction diluent, the polymer product is obtained as a material substantially insoluble in the reaction diluent. In these liquid phase processes, it is useful to facilitate contacting of reactants and catalyst composition by providing some means of agitation such as shaking or stirring.
It is also known that the nature of the stirring, particularly in large scale reactors, has an influence on the rate of polymer production. As the agitation is increased the power transmitted to the polymer suspension is also increased and the rate of polymerization increases as well. The rate of polymerization will increase only up towards a maximum polymerization rate and further increases in the power transmitted, also known as power density, will not result in a proportionate increase in reaction rate. This effect is described in greater detail in application Ser. No. 676,159 filed Mar. 27, 1991. It is also known from this reference that increases in power density also result in higher bulk density for the polyketone product. When the polymer has a higher bulk density there will be more polymer produced per unit volume of polymer suspension. Moreover, the volume of diluent adsorbed on the polymer particles per unit of polymer is also lower and product/diluent separation becomes easier. It would therefore be of advantage to provide an improved process of producing linear alternating polymers of carbon monoxide and at least one ethylenically unsaturated hydrocarbon wherein polymer product of relatively high bulk density is produced at a good rate.